How to learn Arabic: The Ultimate Guide to Fluency

Introduction

How to learn Arabic? Well, I am not writing this article just because I speak Arabic fluently, but also I managed to be fluent in two different languages, English & French, so I know how it feels to start learning a whole new language from scratch.  

In this guideline, you get direct and easy steps that will take your Arabic knowledge from nothing to fluency. 

All the tips and information listed here are taken from my own experience, and I will give it to you on a silver platter in the hope that you take action and reach the goal of speaking Arabic fluently and why not, even better than I do.

Unlike any other article, I am not going to beat around the bush by giving you general information about how to learn Arabic. Instead,  I will give you practical actions to help you speak and write Arabic effortlessly.

All I ask in return is that you pray for me “دعاء” and share this article with your friends, family members, or relatives who WANT to learn Arabic. Let’s jump into it.

The hard fact

I am going to be honest with you from the beginning. Learning a whole new language and reaching the fluency level takes time and dedication. You are going to invest  days, months, or even years before you taste the fruits of your hard work. To accomplish that, you need compelling  reasons that keep you motivated every single day. It’s your job to figure it out.

Where do you start?

So what is your starting point? What’s the first thing you should do when you had decided to learn Arabic? Are you going to start memorizing the alphabet? Hello no. Are you going to buy books that teach you grammar rules? Definitely not. Are you going to travel to an Arab country like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, or UAE. No, no need.

To have a smooth operation for any system in the world, there must be an input and output. For example, to receive torque and speed from a diesel engine (the output), we need to put in diesel (as a fuel) , oil (for lubricating), and water (for cooling). Torque and speed are the output of the system (diesel engine), and fuel, oil, and water are the inputs.

Same concept goes with Arabic. In order for you (you represent the system) to learn Arabic correctly, easily, and automatically (the output), you need to fuel yourself with two inputs: Listening and reading.

So listening and reading Arabic are your inputs. However, you need to add up to the equation speaking, and writing as soon as possible. So, in order to get faster results, you will perform all the four actions (listening, reading, speaking, and writing) simultaneously and on the same day. 

The rest of the article is dedicated to show you, step by step, HOW to use these four keys to your advantage to reach the fluency level as soon as possible.

Listening to Arabic

Back in time, what tool had you used to learn your native language? Well, we both agree that it was nothing but the ears. We did nothing but listening (and watching of course), lots of listening, and then, after nine to fourteen months we managed to say the first words like Mama Or Dada.

So you are going to do almost the same thing with the Arabic language. You will spend most of the time listening to Arabic. 

Now you may ask me: “What kind of materials do I have to listen to? And where can I find it?”

Since you are just making your first step into the language, I recommend you start with CARTOONS & KID’S STORIES. Since children and toddlers are the targeted viewers, they use simple and easy sentences. So you will take this opportunity to build a solid foundation that help you reach higher levels over time.

As for how to find them, here are a short list of the most popular cartoons and stories I’ve gathered for you:

Spacetoon

MBC3

Arabian Fairy Tales

Arabic Fairy Tales for Kids – قصص اطفال

الدنيا روزي – القناة الرسمية

BabyBus Arabic TV – أغاني أطفال ورسوم متحركة

As you listen to Arabic, make sure to get the meaning of the words and sentences in your own language. Just understand the main concept and don’t make the mistake of analyzing the grammar rules. Your main task is to listen to Arabic that you already know its meaning. As you listen to more Arabic materials, you will automatically develop the skill of using the Arabic grammar correctly. 

Speaking Arabic

It’s true that the only thing we did when we were children is listening, and watching. However, you are not a child. You possess something children don’t, which is the ability to write and speak.

So you will engage these skills to your advantage. That’s why you must mimic and speak out loud all the words and the sentences you’ve listened to. Pause after each sentence, or if need be after each word, and then speak loudly.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Nobody is watching you. Lock yourself in a room and speak Arabic loudly. No one is going to mock or embarrass you, so I don’t want to hear any excuses.

In fact, I urge you to make mistakes because what’s important is to have the courage to make them, rectify them, and learn your lesson out of them.

Record yourself every time you speak Arabic, and use the recordings as a tool to analyze your pronunciation, and also as evidence to witness your improvement.

Writing Arabic

Once you are done with the speaking task, your next and final step is to write.  Pick up your pen, and as you listen to Arabic words and sentences, pause, and write down in the notebook. 

Take all the time you need to write. It may look difficult especially If it is the first time you write in Arabic, however you can get help by using the transcript that goes with the material.

Everything at once

So everyday, you are going to listen, speak, and write Arabic. To get even better results, I recommend that you repeat doing the same thing for three days. 

This approach is what I used, and still do, to improve my English and French, and I will use the same approach whenever I decide to learn a new language. It is simple, easy, and you can do it on your own.

So you have it all. Every you need to learn Arabic from zero to fluency. I hope everything is clear. Now it’s your turn to do the action and start learning Arabic.

Finally, if you want to know how to learn Arabic on your own, read this article. Also, visit our YouTube channel to get weekly lessons that help you improve your Arabic constantly. If you have any questions, feel free to write to me in the comments. I will answer all of them.